RAPAPORT... De Beers’ auctions division will sell diamonds from other
mining companies so clients can access a broader range of goods.

The company will pilot the new program this year, making it
easier for customers to buy their entire supply in one place, Neil Ventura, De
Beers’ executive vice president of auction sales, said in a blog post Monday. De
Beers will use the test period to determine whether the strategy works for clients
before making long-term plans.

While De Beers’ auctions unit currently sells about 10% of
the total rough available to De Beers, this initiative could help grow the
business, Ventura noted.

“One message that’s come through from our recent customer
engagements is a desire for us to develop our supply offering in certain areas,
so that there is a fuller and broader range of material available for purchase,”
Ventura said.

“Based on this customer feedback, in 2018 we will be testing
the potential to grow our core rough-diamond sales business through making some
purchases from third-party sources,” he added.

The diamonds will come from a limited number of miners on
which De Beers has carried out due diligence, and will only constitute a small
minority of the goods it offers, a company spokesperson told Rapaport News.

De Beers also plans to update its website and build
a mobile app to improve its service to clients, Ventura noted.